Adrian's 355 musings

[A348W]

Well been awhile since it went to Carrs and came back!!

Annual service, some odd indicator wiring sorted, a new radiator and a rebuilt ac compressor later; she is all good. I’ve not driven it much since it’s been back, putting the miles on the 348 instead.

Now that it’s winter and the roads around us are mud, delights of the country side in the winter, time for some tlc on the cleaning front!

After a **** week at work, rather therapeutic:thumbsup::thumbsup:

 

[irarref]

Looking good

Its just a shame it doesn't stay that way :-(

 

[A348W]

Not enough pictures on this site recently :laugh:

Out for a pint with another ferrari

 

[A348W]

So a bit of an update.

This spring I ended up topping the coolant up by circa 4ltrs. Nothing was obvious but i took it to DL for sn inspection and they found nothing! Very odd and the only thing I c as n thin of is the garage, not DL, who changed the rhd radiator didnt bleed the system correctly! Annoying.

This was all done in prep for my road trip to Monaco F1 Historique; so i wanted to check everything was good.

 

[A348W]

I took my dad down to Monaco Historique F1 for his 80th; now 83 thanks to covid cancelling it!

We did Portsmouth to Caen, stop by Riems where we got moved on by the cops; but having just watched a 911 and 430 almost get taken out by a truck, i expect they are a bit fed up with the tourists!!

 

[A348W]

We then went down to Grenoble for the night; ready for the alps. And god they didnt disappoint; mile after mile of empty, smooth tarmac winding i to the hills!! Wales an huge steroids and with sun and great french food!!

 

[A348W]

We had an apartment in Monaco with a garage; although the garage took all my skill and most of the front skid plates to get into. The rest of the skid plates were abused by the huge number of speed bumps!


The racing was good; there was no messing about. We had a variety of stands booked; and saw Lecler loose his annual bonus and probably make Enzo and Niki turn in their graves. Ive got pics of him coming out of Rascasse backwards but they are on the camera.

 

[A348W]

After Monaco; snd i was glad to leave; too much noise and concrete; not to mention crap mobile coverage; it was a long day via the Millau bridge, ending up just south of Tours. 8 hours driving in total; but the 355 was very comfortable and was happy running along at 90 ish all day!

 

[A348W]

Then the final day today; up via LeMans with lunch stop at the restaurant! (great food and bloody cheap!!)

The museum has display in 1:43 of every car that has ever raced; amazing collection!!!

 

[A348W]

So by the time I get home; overnight ferry tonight; we will have done almost 2,000 miles, stopped for gas more times than I want to remember, got flashed 1-2 times (ish). it takes awhile to get your eye in for their cameras!

Car has run faultlessly, took .4l of coolant on the first night but has been constant since. Oil pressure has fluctuated on occasion; but the last day it was 29, so v hot!

All the hotels were good; food excellent as you'd expect/ hope! Monaco is as i remember from work trips; done to get the tshirt the best avoided! But those roads in the Alps…heaven!!!

Tomtom was an absolute god send. we only made three wrong turns the whole way! yup

The car is now filthy; but it might stay that way for a Ferrari event this Sunday :grin:

Have thoroughly enjoyed my first European road trip in the ferrari. Next one is July with the missus to the Loire Valley for a week! And already planning 1-2 trips next year! :thumbsup: There was definitely a reason I ended up with a lhd 355!!

 

[Kyodo]

Awesome!
Monaco is a great place but I find it best to visit via train

 

[cgt]

Awesome!
Monaco is a great place but I find it best to visit via train

Or Heli-Air Monaco. On one occasion in the 90's they held the chopper at Nice for one more passenger which I was initially slightly annoyed by until it turned out to be a Mr M Schumacher

 

[A348W]

Awesome!
Monaco is a great place but I find it best to visit via train

best avoided actually; but agree train is easier by far but trying to find an apartment with a garage wasnt easy, even in Nice; and i got one 5 minutes from the casino for £180 a night with two bedrooms so made a lot of sense.

 

[cgt]

best avoided actually; but agree train is easier by far but trying to find an apartment with a garage wasnt easy, even in Nice; and i got one 5 minutes from the casino for £180 a night with two bedrooms so made a lot of sense.

Sounds like Beausoleil!

 

[Nosevi]

Sounds like a great trip, Adrian. :thumbsup:

 

[MalcH]

It does sound good.

 

[A348W]

Just back from 4 1/2 days enjoying the Loire Valley; just over 900 miles. Car didn't miss a beat!

No real pictures of the car as we were too busy enjoying the lovely roads (uk roads really are rubbish) the lovely food, some outstanding accommodation and off course the odd bit of scenery!

Now to start planning next years trips!

 

[tom]

Nice! I've just got back from a week in Provence(-ish) and it was unbearably hot. Every time I go to France it reminds me how bad the roads are in the UK - 99% of the roads I drove last week in France were wonderfully smooth and well maintained.

Shame I took my Mercedes and not the Ferrari :laugh:

 

[Modificato]

Nice! I've just got back from a week in Provence(-ish) and it was unbearably hot. Every time I go to France it reminds me how bad the roads are in the UK - 99% of the roads I drove last week in France were wonderfully smooth and well maintained.

Shame I took my Mercedes and not the Ferrari :laugh:

Our roads are frankly, a national disgrace.

Given all of the revenue generated by taxes on the motorist I am amazed we have seen more civil disobedience!

 

[A348W]

A fun saturday, other than the m25 ( how the hell do people deal with that on a regular basis??), at Brands Hatch testing the 296. About 40 minutes on road, then hopped into the 355 for my track session, then straight back into the 296 for some laps on track. (Many thanks Sy/DU).

I thought the 355 was fast; boy was i wrong!! :laugh:

296 was just awesome; other than the controls for the display; think that would realy annoy me; but not a problem i need to worry about!!

just showed how poor, relatively speaking, the 355 brakes are! If i keep it i think a big brake kit will be in order!:hmmm:

Parade lap as well :thumbsup:



Next up annual service this Thursday. DL quoted £1300, Carrs £820 and whilst I had an issue with there service last year; guess where Im going? Pics and update following service; as they are doing it whilst I wait. (Still expensive for oil, filter and brake fluid change, but…!)